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- Japan's NTT DoCoMo in talks to join US net venture
Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc. is in talks to take part ... States, a report said Thursday, August 17. Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc ... entry into the United States, a report said Thursday, August 17. DoCoMo is eyeing a minority ...
15/08/2010 - 23:04 - comment 0
- Japan's merging telecoms firms to spin off mobile operations
DoCoMo Inc. Japan's second largest telecoms firm, due to be created in October, will spin off its mobile phone operations to battle the giant mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo ... held by Japan's largest mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo, the newspaper said. ...
15/08/2010 - 23:04 - comment 0
- Japan's Matsushita plans to tie up with Ericsson
mobile communications giant NTT DoCoMo Inc has picked Panasonic to supply W-CDMA technology, said Kadota. DoCoMo has also previously struck an agreement with Ericcson on the technology. "Panasonic and DoCoMo are currently negotiating in order to start next generation (services) in Japan in May ...
15/08/2010 - 22:57 - comment 0
- Japan Sets Offering Price Of NTT Shares
in the strange position of being worth less than its mobile telephone unit, NTT DoCoMo Inc. The group has ... each. The price for the sixth tranche of NTT shares represents a three-percent discount ... debt and speed up NTT's privatization, which began in 1985. NTT will issue 300,000 new shares ...
19/05/2010 - 09:27 - comment 0
- Tokyo stocks rise 1.2 percent in morning trade
But shares in NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's biggest mobile phone firm, declined 120,000 yen or 3.83 percent to 3.01 million yen despite its announcement to tie up with America Online Inc. Shares in Mizuho Holdings Inc., which made its debut on the market, closed the session at 849,000 yen, up from 817,000 yen ...
15/08/2010 - 22:55 - comment 0
- Japanese banks: the worst is yet to come
credit line of 1,200 billion yen ($10.3 billion) extended by Japanese banks to NTT DoCoMo Inc. on January ... the reference point for international transactions, to refinance their own operations. So the DoCoMo credit line ...
15/08/2010 - 15:21 - comment 0
- mcafee, inc. introduces mcafee mobile security risk management
has been working with NTT DoCoMo to develop the world’s first end-to-end solution with security built ... McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE) today announced the launch ... McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE) today announced the launch of McAfee® Mobile Security Risk Management, a new ...
18/05/2010 - 09:54 - comment 0
- Tokyo stocks depressed by domestic, US economic, political worries
percent, to 710 yen. Mobile phone giant NTT DoCoMo Inc. fell 60,000 yen, or 2.0 percent, to 2.95 ...
15/08/2010 - 22:47 - comment 0
- Tokyo stocks close 1.2 percent higher
telephone firm NTT DoCoMo Inc. rose 80 yen to 3,170. – (AFP). © Agence France Presse 2000 © ...
15/08/2010 - 22:53 - comment 0
- شركة دو كو مو للإتصالات اليابانية تمنح إمتيازا لشركة النقال الإسرائيلية سلكوم
من المرجح أن تمنح شركة دو كو مو اليابانية NTT DoCoMo ، وهي إحدى كبرى شركات الهاتف الخلوي في اليابان وإحدى كبرى الشركات العالمية في هذا القطاع. من المرجح أن تمنح شركة دو كو مو اليابانية NTT DoCoMo ، وهي إحدى كبرى شركات الهاتف الخلوي في اليابان ...
14/08/2010 - 15:19 - comment 0


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OTT Targeting: 8 Best Ways to Reach Your Audience
by Cat Hausler
5 Min Read
It’s not only the consumers stocking up - here’s how retail’s biggest player is setting trends for other brands.
3 Min Read
If you’ve spent the start of this week scrolling through Amazon Prime deals, you’re not alone. Last year, Prime Day sales reached over $10 Billion in sales worldwide (45% increase from the year prior), marked as the most successful shopping event in company history. Now that this year’s shopping event has shifted back from its Black Friday/Cyber Monday time slot last year, it’s not only customers who are taking notice, but retail advertisers at large. David Dweck, VP of Paid Media at marketing agency Wpromote explained that “the data we’re seeing in search and on Facebook validates that consumers are far more likely to purchase on those days and kind of get FOMO…[brands] are leveraging paid search because they know that there’s more research going on, on days like this.”
Did you know 61% of consumers planned to shop on Amazon on Prime Day? They also preferred Prime Day to be held earlier, just in time for Back to School shopping. Retail brands in turn, have attempted to ride the coattails of higher search volume and higher engagement during this time. “Prime Day offers great visibility [and we] invest heavily in the advertising opportunities because Amazon is getting tons of traffic…we make sure that we marry up the campaigns that we’re running on other channels to whatever it is that we’re promoting on Prime Day,” said Maria Lytle, Vice President of ecommerce and consumer engagement at Demdaco (and an Amazon merchant).
But what if you’re a brand not selling on Amazon? Competitors including Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Kohls have offered their own promotions this week, leaning on their own in-house advertising operations, in the form of retail media networks. This leverages their own first-party data to reach users and mitigates the third-party cookie dilemma that’s crippled many other digital advertising practices. However, is this good enough? Shopify President Harley Finkelstein summed it up nicely, “shoppers are not looking for the best deal as the primary objective. They’re looking to connect with brands whose values they align with. The future of retail is not about discounting, it’s about connection and authenticity.”
Amazon usually releases the dates of their annual Prime Day event only a few weeks beforehand, which doesn’t give competitors much time to get their ducks in order – a smart move from the retailer to maintain their monopoly. Additionally, these retail media networks aren’t nearly as sophisticated as Amazon’s headline ads. Nich Weinheimer, general manager of commerce and retail media of a marketing platform explained to Adweek that “these programs inside Walmart, Target, etc., [which include] sponsored display, sponsored brands [and] a lot of the mid-funnel tactics, will continue to evolve…but they’re still relatively nascent.”
Connected TV advertising is one way that such brands can go-to-market quickly, repurposing assets at their exposure, while also being a full-funnel strategy that reaches audiences across multiple touchpoints. And, to Finklestein’s point, it’s no doubt the ideal method to connect with potential shoppers in a genuine and impactful way that will help brands to break through the clutter – whether that be during Prime Day or any other major shopping event.

domain: news


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The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have announced that they have agreed a Free Trade Agreement “in principle” between the two countries. The FTA is the first the UK has negotiated from scratch following Brexit and...
April 2021 Update The fifth round of negotiations on the Australia-UK FTA commenced last week and on Friday 23 April 2021 the UK and Australia reached consensus on “the vast majority of elements of a comprehensive free trade agreement.” In a joint announcement, the...
The third round of negotiations on the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (AU-UK FTA) was held (virtually) from 23 November to 4 December 2020. A very positive Press Release published by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) noted that the two...


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By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER - The vacant public library branch next to the Silverlake Kroger's will become a local carpet company's new retail store on July 1.
Carpetland Carpet One purchased the former Erlanger branch library at 3130 Dixie Highway this month for $1.1 million, said Wayne Onkst, director of the Kenton County Public Library system. Its offer was the highest of the four that the library board received.
The carpet company won't have far to go. For the past 30 years, Carpetland Carpet One has leased space in the Erlanger Shopping Center, which is across the street from the former branch library.
"Our new location will be a more prominent one right on the street,'' said Ken Weisbacher, president of Carpetland Carpet One. "A lot of people will know where it is because so many people visited it as a library.''
For several years, Kenton County's Erlanger library has been Kentucky's busiest branch library because of its high circulation.
Weisbacher said the new Erlanger retail store will have 15,000 square feet, or about 21/2 times its current space.
The extra space will enable the store to add a large area rug department, he said. The company also plans to add large show windows across the front of its new building.
"Since we'd been across the street for 30 years; we didn't want to leave the area,'' Weisbacher said. "We've got a very loyal clientele.''
The second-generation family business was founded in 1946 in Walnut Hills and also has retail stores in Woodlawn and Milford, as well as a commercial division in Woodlawn.
Money from this month's Erlanger branch sale will help pay for the new $7 million, 34,294-square-foot library that opened Oct. 13 on Kenton Lands Road, Onkst said.
"We're up in users and circulation by about 50 percent since we opened the new building,'' he said. "For a building that size, things have gone very, very smoothly.''
Exceptions include a book drop that was installed too high and some worn pavers in the library's reading garden, he said.
Next week, plans call for workers to build up asphalt around the book drop that users have had to get out of their cars to reach.
Sometime this summer, the library system also plans to close the reading garden for a few days so that workers can replace the granite pavers. Some of the pavers have become worn and are hard to read, so the library system is replacing all of them with more durable, waterproof pavers, Onkst said.
Springer tests populist appeal
Fingerhut? He's the other Dem in the hunt
Veterans' care squeezed by VA
Fallen Ky. officer remembered
City revels in holiday fun
IN THE TRISTATE
Obituary: Richard Witsken, educator
Obituary: Janet Winston
Memorial Day closings
Memorial weekend activities
Tristate A.M. Report
SMITH AMOS: Three strikes
PULFER: Mia Farrow
BRONSON: They quit
HOWARD: Some Good News
BUTLER, WARREN, CLERMONT
Police build case against twins
Pressure on for drug discounts
Death row inmate says authorities lied
Attorney responds to judges' criticism
Former library sold to carpet store
Dorm fire stirs memories for veteran detective
City uses computers to swat mosquitoes
Ambassador helps rescue learning center
Orchestra musicians get part of pay
Transylvania names art building for its president


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These are the shoes that seemingly everybody wants.
The slides, costing just £8 from Primark , are setting tongues wagging across the UK.
Well, they bear more than a passing resemblance to a pair recently released by Prada.
The designer's Velvet & Bow Point Toe Mule Slides certainly have the same style as the budget version.
But there's a BIG difference - a £492 difference.
The shoes in question are backless mules, available in pink, black and denim.
Primark posted a photo of the mules on their Instagram page where they quickly prompted a frenzy of likes and questions about their availability.
One fan even admitted she'd tried "London, Nottingham, Burton, Birmingham Fort and Birmingham high street" to get her hands on a pair.
Spanish shoppers lamented their not being available, adding, "Why is this style not available in Spain? I don't understand! Please, tell us what happened!"
It looks like it's only a matter of time before these mules are sold out.
So far, the picture has attracted more than 25,000 likes.


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Consumer survey reveals a high level of loyalty in the auto parts industry.
Boulder, CO — Consumers are more satisfied with their experiences shopping at CARQUEST than at any other auto parts store, according to a new study by Market Force Information. The survey of 4,460 consumers also showed that they are more likely to recommend CARQUEST to others, pointing to a high degree of loyalty for the North Carolina-based brand.
When survey respondents were asked to rate how satisfied they were by their experiences at various auto parts retailers, CARQUEST came out on top, followed by NAPA, O’Reilly, Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone and Pep Boys.
To gauge if high satisfaction levels drive consumer recommendations, Market Force asked respondents how likely they were to recommend these stores to others. CARQUEST was again a clear favorite, pointing to a correlation between customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend. In fact, 63% of consumers said their chances of recommending CARQUEST were a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5. NAPA ranked second with 56%, O’Reilly was third with 52%, Advance Auto Parts was fourth with 49%, AutoZone was fifth with 49% and Pep Boys ranked last out of the top retailers studied with 41%. See Graph 1.
Generally speaking, most customers were satisfied with their auto parts-shopping experiences. In fact, 86% said a sales associated assisted them, and most said they were satisfied with the help they received. Those who weren’t satisfied pointed to high prices, long wait times at the register and difficulty finding items in the store as their top three complaints.
“We’ve discovered that customers who are delighted by their auto parts-buying experience are more than three times as likely to recommend the store to others,” said Janet Eden-Harris, chief marketing officer for Market Force. “With positive customer experiences directly driving recommendations and revenues, it’s imperative for retailers to provide operational excellence across the board – from their staff’s knowledge level to speedy checkout lines – in order to maintain current customers and gain new ones.”
What sets CARQUEST apart?
What factors make CARQUEST a favorite among auto parts shoppers? The company’s sales effectiveness is a major one. Among the six brands studied, respondents gave CARQUEST’s sales team the highest marks for making good recommendations, understanding customer needs and general knowledge.
CARQUEST also stood apart from the pack in areas such as cashier friendliness, checkout speed, merchandise selection and overall value. O’Reilly snagged the second spot in every category except checkout speed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Pep Boys ranked last in all six categories, receiving the lowest marks for store atmosphere. See Graph 2.
Loyalty is a big driver in auto parts
The survey also revealed fierce customer loyalty in the auto parts industry. In fact, 78% said they were likely or very likely to drive past a competitive store to shop at their preferred auto parts retailer. See Graph 3. Not surprisingly, most (54%) said they would drive past a competitor to shop at CARQUEST, followed by O’Reilly (42%), NAPA (41%), Advance Auto Parts (41%) , AutoZone (40%) and Pep Boys (26%).
“It was unexpected to find a higher sense of loyalty in the auto parts industry than in other industries we’ve studied,” said Eden-Harris. “This could be due, at least in part, to the fact that these are high-touch sales and auto parts salespeople play a huge role in guiding purchases. Customer who have established relationships with sales associate and trust their expertise are more likely to make return visits.”
Most price-compare before buying
To ensure they’re getting the best deal possible, many consumers are researching their auto parts purchases before they head to the store. Market Force’s study found that two-thirds of shoppers compared prices ahead of time, and half checked prices at two or more locations. And, when they got to the store, most (54%) found what they needed on the shelf, and 24% were able to get the part from the stock room. Only 5% said they had to special order a part.
The survey was conducted in June 2012 across the United States and Canada. The pool of 4,460 respondents reflected a broad spectrum of income levels, with approximately two-thirds reporting household incomes of more than $50,000 a year. Respondents’ ages ranged from 19 to over 65. Approximately 43% were men and 57% were women, and 77% reported working full or part time. Half of the respondents have children at home and more than two-thirds are married.
About Market Force Information
Market Force is the leading global customer intelligence solutions company for multi-location businesses, including major retailers, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, financial institutions, entertainment studios and consumer packaged goods companies. With more than 125 years of combined industry experience, Market Force Information has pioneered the industry with a suite of customer intelligence solutions – from 600,000 field associates across North America and Europe who conduct mystery shopping, merchandising and retail auditing, to real customer surveys and proprietary decision-support tools. Its solutions provide a holistic view of the customer’s on-site experience and identify the actions required at the store level to increase customer loyalty and improve financial performance. Market Force was named one of Forbes’ America’s Most Promising Companies in 2011. For more information, visit http://www.marketforce.com.


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Penong’s, Davao’s famous native-style barbecue will soon be grilling in Singapore.
Penong’s Franchise Corporation will soon open a branch in Singapore of the popular barbecue chain through franchisee Bong Flores, a Davaoeño businessman.
Henry A. Mahilum, VP for Operations, disclosed that Flores will open his first branch of Penong’s in Singapore. He is also set to open his first Penong’s restaurant in Davao.
“He will open first his first Penong’s here before he proceed his plan to open his first Penong’s branch in Singapore. His first branch in Davao will open on next Sunday in Gmall Toril,” Mahilum said in a press conference during the launch of Penong’s newest dishes to their menu and newest brand ambassador celebrity broadcast journalist Kim Atienza at Penong’s Matina branch on Saturday.
Mahilum assured that the same Penong’s standards will be applied in the planned franchise store in Singapore.
“They will be sourcing their chicken in Singapore at ang manggaling sa amin ay ingredients for marination and mixes,” he said.
Mahilum added that together with Flores, they agreed to focus first the branch here to make sure Flores is already fully equipped to manage the Penong’s brand before they proceed to the international market.
“Ngayon naka-base muna siya in Davao at inaasikaso yung first Penong’s niya that will be opening here,” he added.
Currently, Penong’s has 39 branches all over the country with its most recent stores in Cebu-Bogo City, Palawan-Puerto Princesa, Butuan City, Davao-JP Laurel, Municipality of Kabacan, and Davao-Gaisano Mall of Toril.
Before the year ends, Penong’s will be opening five more branches in Valencia City, Pasay City at SM Mall of Asia, Dumaguete City, SM City in General Santos CIty, and Ma-a in Davao City.
Penong’s is now also gearing towards penetrating all locations nationwide aiming to promote a balanced lifestyle for all Filipinos by announcing Atienza as its newest brand ambassador. The restaurant believes that Atienza could represent the brand since the company and Atienza shared the same passion for promoting a balanced healthy lifestyle.
Penong’s have also renewed their contract with Sunrise Events Inc following the success of the Penong’s 5150 Triathlon Davao last July 2019. The contract is part of the Ironman Group for the 2020 Penong’s 5150 Triathlon in Tagum City, Davao del Norte on February 23,2020.
During the presscon Penong’s also launched its newest addition to its menu: halo-halo, pancit palabok, and rebusadong camote dela crema that will be available in November to selected restaurants nationwide.


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NASSAU, Bahamas — Christmas has come early for Sandals Resorts, with plenty of good news and new offerings for the Winter 2016-2017 season. Heading into its 35th year of business, the Jamaican-based, all-inclusive resort company is definitely ending the year on a high note.
A week ago, Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort and Private Island quietly unveiled the newest addition to its portfolio: five over-the-water villas, adjacent to the resort’s private island. The first of its kind in the Caribbean, the 2,000 square-foot suites are currently booked for the next 18 months; word of mouth about the villas is propelling many to join an exclusive membership that allows for stays in these one-of-kind villas.
The five villas, each one designed using the theme of one of the five elements (earth, fire, water, metal, wood), are the product of eight years of planning. And thanks to the buzz on the first five, 12 over-the-water bungalows will be ready for guests in Spring 2017. Even more, three additional Sandals Resorts in Jamaica will be adding over-the-water villas in the future.
The villas feature 24-hour butler service, kitchen, expansive bedroom and bathroom, walk-in closet, glass floor and a multi-level back deck with outdoor shower, multiple seating areas, plunge pool, hammock and steps leading into the ocean.
On Nov. 18, Sandals Resorts celebrated the grand re-opening of Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Private Island in Nassau, Bahamas. Chairman/Founder Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and his son, CEO Adam Stewart, kicked off the celebrations with Caribbean dignitaries and VIPS, including Prime Minister Perry Christie of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica and the Honourable Obediah Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism for The Bahamas.
The elder Stewart proclaimed the resort “has never been more beautiful”, while the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marching Band and a colourful Junkanoo crew performed for VIP guests and industry partners like Air Canada Vacations, Sunwing and WestJet Vacations.
Sandals Royal Bahamian, which had been closed from mid-August until Oct. 25, has completed a US$4 million renovation that included an update of back of house systems, swimming pools, four restaurants and guestrooms. Since the soft opening in October, Sandals Royal Bahamian has been at 95% capacity. Sandals Royal Bahamian originally opened in 1995 and is one of two Sandals Resorts in The Bahamas.
And as Sandals Resorts celebrates these two significant updates to their portfolio, the company is forging ahead with several initiatives, including updates to its first property, Sandals Montego Bay, expansions to Sandals Barbados, adding 150 more rooms to Sandals Royal Caribbean, and the possibility of building new Sandals and Beaches resorts on the island of Tobago.


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With Oppo launching the Oppo Reno5 series globally starting from India with new Oppo Reno5 Pro 5G. Now we have got a leak for the cheapest Oppo Reno5 series device aka the Oppo Reno5 Lite. Previously we had spotted the Oppo Reno5 Lite on various certification websites and now finally hitting Geekbench.
As per the listing, the new Oppo Reno5 Lite is listed as Oppo PEGM10 which is running on Android 11 OS out of the box. The new Oppo Reno5 Lite is powered by a Qualcomm processor codenamed Lito. Sadly, it’s still not confirmed the exact processor powering the device but we expect it could be the SD690 or SD750G SoC.
The Oppo Reno5 Lite is coupled with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage space. The device managed to score 3032 under single and 6634 under multi-core test which is a bit odd. Anyway, more details about the cheaper Oppo Reno5 Lite will be out in the coming days as it could be official later this month.


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February 27 Shilovskikh near Ryazan region held technology start-up of a new high-tech processing plant corn.
It is built on the territory of one of the oldest companies in the industry — of "Ibredkrahmalpatoka," said the 2005 100th anniversary. The new plant is going to be the first of the starch-automated factories in Russia. The total investment in the new plant will be more than 3 billion rubles.
The main difference of manufacture — a high degree of automation and advanced equipment, which at times to reduce costs. Thanks to the innovations of "Ibredkrahmalpatoka" one of the first in the country to produce the so-called glucose-fructose syrups (GFS), which at the moment are the "last word" in the modern production of food ingredients and are used worldwide in the manufacture of soft drinks, dairy products , jams and jam, confectionery.


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Updated: Jan 2, 2021
For a long time, customers have been picking goods off the supermarket shelves based on price with cheaper products ending up in shopping baskets with no questions asked on whether the ingredients used were sustainably sourced or not. Not sourcing sustainable materials may lead to lower-priced items that the market traditionally demanded but at what cost to the planet?
Greenpeace recently exposed the plight faced by orangutans due to excessive deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations. In Indonesia, forests are disappearing at the rate of one football pitch every 25 seconds, with over 100,000 orangutans having lost their lives in the past sixteen years. This shocking news has led to consumers waking up to the fact that we can no longer accept goods made with unsustainable ingredients, and shoppers are actively seeking food and drink products that offer supply chain transparency
It should be fundamental to always source sustainable ingredients from reputable farmers across the globe. Start-up and early-stage companies should have this mindset as a prerequisite, to cultivate close relationships with fair trade and certified farms to make sure that every step of the production process is ethical.
Supporting local communities where producers live and work, by providing on-going training for labourers is important. By investing in technologies and practices that prioritise a more sustainable way of living, it will mean that general advancement will filter down in all production chains, and the materials used to make them will be less harsh on the planet whilst also providing greener sustainable jobs.
We, as a company, help promote the use of sustainable materials, from stevia, organic dried fruits to Red Tractor approved milk are just a few ways we develop goods for our clients. In fact, we are so strict on who we accept as our partners that we regularly audit the suppliers we work with to ensure that they are compliant with every aspect of our tight guidelines – from safeguarding the workers and their rights to securing animal welfare, and protecting the environment.
The food and drink industry has a duty of care towards people's lives, and the use of sustainably sourced ingredients has to be considered a must for today’s manufacturers. Knowledge and extensive connections to finding trustworthy suppliers are no longer a daunting process and will help businesses who may have struggled in the past to make better choices that will benefit us all.


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A survey of New Zealanders undertaken by Venture Insights has found almost 23 percent using their smartphones at least once a week to pay for a product or service, with bank payment apps accounting for 62 percent of these.
Apple Pay came in second with 19 percent of users, Android Pay was third with 13 percent and Samsung Pay fourth with six percent.
However, 50 percent of respondents said they had never used their mobile to pay for products and service and Venture Insights said this indicated there was an opportunity for payment apps to create greater awareness around the benefits and convenience of mobile payments and increase adoption.
“Increasing adoption of payment apps is only a matter of time as more than a third of Kiwis believe that New Zealand will be a cashless economy by 2028,” Venture Insights said.
“Business owners expect New Zealand to be cashless by 2028 and more than one in three customers predict that New Zealand will be cashless within 10 years, while a further 42 percent believe it will take 20 years.”
It said credit cards were by far the most popular means of making payments in New Zealand and the money being made by the issuing banks made these an attractive market for companies providing mobile payments.
“The total value of transactions by cards in New Zealand is about $6bn to $7b per month and growing,” it said. “On average the issuing bank makes 1.5 percent of every transaction. This translates into an annual revenue potential of about $1.2b, certainly large enough for non-bank players to be interested.”
The report concluded: “While the mobile wallet and payments space may still be nascent, the above trends bode well for the growth of mobile wallet and payments systems.”


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PIVOT Expands Business Offerings with Hospitality Group Addition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WALNUT CREEK, Ca. – PIVOT Agency (PIVOT) is expanding its business offerings to include event and corporate hospitality, a growing need within the sports and entertainment industry.
“With the demand of luxury experiences, suites, hotel and air-travel packages on the rise, PIVOT has chosen to expand and create a fourth sector of business to offer our current and future clients these very experiences,” said PIVOT founder and CEO, Ben Shapiro.
The PIVOT hospitality branch will focus on all-inclusive packages that will cater to corporations for client entertainment as well as a la carte options which will include but is not limited to air travel, lodging, tickets, passes, suites, tents and event coordination.
“Over the past 20 years the hospitality industry has expanded immensely,” Shapiro said. “We went from giving tickets to customers or potential customers to offering an immersive experience to give hosts the platform to create a better first impression, longer relationships and in many cases a return on investment.”
PIVOT is currently searching for a Vice President of Premium Sales & Hospitality to lead the group. For more information on the job description, click here.


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Adidas chief executive Kasper Rorsted told CNBC on Wednesday hat the sports apparel brand has turned its back on TV advertising.
Rorsted explained the company is looking to boost its ecommerce revenues from €1 billion ($1.06 billion) in 2016 to €4 billion ($4.25 billion) by 2020 — and Adidas wants to use digital channels to get there
He told CNBC: "It's clear that the younger consumer engages with us predominantly over the mobile device. Digital engagement is key for us — you don't see any TV advertising any more."
Rorsted's comments shouldn't be taken too literally, however. Data from iSpotTV shows that Adidas has aired a number of TV ads in 2017, including a spot featuring Snoop Dogg, entitled "Original is Never Finished." However, its TV outlay in the US is relatively small compared to other advertisers, with Adidas ranked 511th in terms of TV ad spend in the last 30 days, according to iSpotTV.
Adidas increased its overall marketing investments from €1.886 billion in 2015 to €1.981 billion in 2016. As a percentage of sales, the company's expenditure for its point-of-sale and marketing investments declined 0.8 percentage points to 13.1%, from 13.9% in 2015.
The company spends almost half of its marketing investments on partnerships, while its other marketing expenditure goes towards digital, advertising, point-of-sale, and "grassroots" activations, on the ground with local sports clubs.
Adidas said in its annual report it wants to decrease the ratio of marketing expenses of partnerships to less than 45% by 2020.
In a letter to shareholders in Adidas' annual report, Rorsted said:
"A strategic topic that will transform our company over the next years is digital. Digital touches our company at every point along the value stream — how we design, develop, manufacture, and sell our products. Already today, Adidas.com and Reebok.com are our largest and fastest-growing shops and we will further accelerate our investments in this area to create competitive advantages through digital. Growing our digital capabilities will ultimately also help us do a better job on margin enhancement."
While Adidas looks to be ditching TV advertising in favor of digital, other brands have recently been vocally cynical about the effectiveness of online advertising.
In two recent speeches, the chief marketing officer of the biggest ad spender in the world — Marc Pritchard of Procter & Gamble — called on digital platforms to clean up their acts when it comes to measurement, transparency, and a "crappy" supply chain. P&G will no longer pay for ads that don't meet its standards, Pritchard said.
In the US, digital ad spending was predicted to surpass TV last year.The jury appears to be out as to which is more effective. A 2014 meta-analysis conducted by researchers at Ebiquity and commissioned by UK TV marketing body Thinkbox, for example, found that for every £1 spent on advertising, TV is "the best profit generator."
That is a view also shared by the chief marketing officer of Coca-Cola, Marcos de Quinto, who told Marketing Week last year that TV spend is "critical" to the brand and generates more sales than digital.


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It’s no secret that the way we live has changed since March, when local and state governments began issuing stay-at-home orders, thanks to COVID-19.
Little did we know that masks would become part of our everyday wardrobes, social distancing would become sociable, normal behavior and that anything involving large crowds, from sporting events to retail stores, would become a thing of the past—at least temporarily.
Enter the concept of a “dark store,” a converted supermarket or former supermarket space converted into an e-commerce warehouse. These stores offer no retail—no cash registers or merchandising—but can meet online demand more efficiently than picked stores. In some cases, they offer a solution for units that might have failed in the first go-round.
Dark stores are one of several options retailers have begun turning to as e-commerce volumes grow beyond what can be efficiently fulfilled from an operating store. The COVID-19 crisis has caused that switch to happen much more suddenly than expected, with sources saying online volumes in 2020 are likely to resemble what was projected for 2023 or 2024. That’s prompted retailers to react quickly, with several making temporary conversions and others reversing decisions to close stores by turning them into operating dark units instead.
One way that Whole Foods Market has responded to COVID-19 is by designating a handful of its urban center locations as online-only stores. Stephanie Ferragut, a spokesperson for the Austin, Texas-based retailer, “only five of our locations have thus far been designated to go online-only.” The online-only locations offer customer pickup as an option but have been set up mainly to serve delivery orders.
Whole Foods’ Bryant Park location in New York was one such store, as is its Chicago location in Lincoln Park next to DePaul University. The grocer, which had delayed the openings of its new East Austin, Texas, and Castle Rock, Colo., stores due to COVID-19, used the locations temporarily as online-only. The stores reopened to the public in late June. Whole Foods’ San Francisco SoMa neighborhood store was also previously closed to in-store shoppers, but has since opened to accommodate customers in-store until 1 p.m. daily, after which it focuses on grocery delivery. Most recently, Whole Foods opened a new warehouse unit in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Several other Whole Foods Market stores nearby can accommodate in-store shopping,” Ferragut says, adding that despite risks presented by the pandemic, Whole Foods recognizes that many customers still prefer the in-store shopping experience.
After designating two locations as dark stores, Giant Eagle announced in mid-June that it had reopened its Garfield Heights, Ohio, store to in-store shoppers, but will continue to offer curbside pickup between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. for customers who prefer it.
Climbing the Ladder
Like Whole Foods and Giant Eagle, Stop & Shop has also begun moving to online-only stores on a limited basis.
In May, the Ahold Delhaize subsidiary announced it was reopening its Brockton, Mass., store at 683 Belmont St., and designating it as an online fulfillment and pickup center. That store was designated to close in March but found new life as a fulfillment center, beginning to offer pickups and deliveries out of the unit May 7.
The Quincy, Mass.-based retailer said its facility is equipped to process hundreds more online orders each week, and that its move to reposition the Brockton store has led to the hiring of 50 new permanent employees.
Stop & Shop more recently announced it was adding three new warerooms—mini-warehouses located in expanded back rooms or space adjacent to stores—to a fleet of 21 such units already in its Northeast trading area. That accompanied an expansion of Instacart service from a stable of crowdsourced shoppers who shop from stores.
Warerooms typically comprise 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, with warehouse-style shelving stocking around 8,000 fast-moving SKUs, which are “topped off” with portions of orders—typically temperature-sensitive and fresh items such as deli orders—from stores. Stop & Shop currently picks from 21 warerooms in its Northeast geographies. They typically serve clusters of stores.
Scott DeGraeve, co-founder of the Denver-based e-commerce firm Locai and a former executive with Ahold’s Peapod brand, said workers can pick about 150 units per hour in a wareroom—a rate about 2.5 times more efficient than picking from stores. Speaking in a recent webinar, DeGraeve described warerooms as a first step toward still-more efficient solutions such as larger dark-store conversions or microfulfillment centers retailers can use as demand scales.
“By adding new warerooms, additional locations for pickup and expanding our partnership with Instacart, we’re accelerating our e-commerce capacity,” Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid says. “Creating a seamless omnichannel experience was a strategic priority for us prior to the pandemic, and with the increased demand we’ve seen over the last several months, it’s more important than ever that we deliver improved digital solutions and online fulfillment for our customers.”
Dark stores, DeGraeve added, can accommodate a larger selection—about 16,000 items, including chilled and frozen, by using store equipment or walk-in coolers—and improve pick speeds to about 200 units per hour. Another important distinction between warerooms and larger dark stores is the latter’s ability to use loading docks to accommodate higher inbound and outbound volume.
Still more productive—given the volume—can be microfillment, or robotic mini-warehouses built inside or adjacent to stores. These units are typically 10,000 to 12,000 square feet and can accommodate about 8,000 items at what DeGraeve called “extremely high” productivity rates seven to 10 times more efficient than store-picked orders.
“This will provide major gains in your productivity but that’s balanced against the cap-ex associated with bringing that on,” he said. “The nice part is that cap-ex continues to get more and more attractive as we see more come online.”
Curt Avallone of Takeoff Technologies, a Waltham, Mass.-based firm, told WGB that Takeoff’s existing microfulfillment center business had grown at least 80% since the start of the pandemic.
According to New York-based eMarketer, going into 2020 grocery was already the fastest-growing online product category. Online grocery saw growth of 18.2% in the prior year, to $19.89 billion in sales, and there’s evidence that the pandemic may hasten further growth.
Mike Eardley, president and CEO of the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association, Madison, Wisc., thinks the coronavirus will boost consumer adoption of e-commerce as a first option, and sees microfulfillment centers as a bigger part of the picture.
“Given the vast amount of products retailers offer, real-time logistics that sync the amount of product to an online shopping platform can be challenging,” Eardley says. “Companies that have more limited varieties and inventories of products, whether food or nonfood, may find it easier to manage their online shopping programs. Convenience and shopping experience go hand in hand when it comes to customer satisfaction.”
But Eardley says one of the biggest draws of the physical store over e-commerce has been fresh departments. He thinks the special value that in-store bakeries and deli counters provide is difficult to replicate via e-commerce.
“Fresh departments are key components in delivering an engaging in-store experience,” Eardley adds. “The pandemic may have temporarily altered the way many consumers shop. If they’re able to purchase all of their favorite foods through an online platform, many likely will [be] confident purchasing online.”
Supply Chain and Wholesalers Shift Gears
“Everything up to now has been so consumer driven,” says Keith Daniels, a supply chain expert and partner with Carl Marks Advisors, New York. “I think everyone knows by now that online grocery sales have gone through the roof. Online ordering for delivery and pickup is up 40% overall.”
“There has been considerable upheaval in grocery, but mostly for the good,” says Daniels, who adds that the biggest stores, such as Walmart, Kroger and Amazon, have benefited the most because of their own proprietary systems. He says while overall retail declined 22% from February to April, grocery grew about 12% in the same time.
Meanwhile, food distributors that serve the restaurant sector saw much of their sales evaporate overnight. With less volume to move, some of the larger food distributors have partnered with grocery wholesalers, leveraging their own large refrigerated spaces for the benefit of retailers and the retail supply chain.
“We saw early on in the spring a protein shortage, with chicken and pork, for example. There are still stock issues,” Daniels said. “As meat production plants came back online, bigger retailers were able to shore up their distribution, getting their products back to the aisle quicker.”
Daniels adds that there is more automation going on behind the scenes. “We’re seeing some retailers use automated robots and foggers to disinfect the stores overnight,” he says.
Overall, however, Daniels thinks that if dark stores are indeed a temporary phenomenon, as some suggest, the retail industry will continue to transform.
“Everyone is trying to adapt, and we’ve also seen retailers like Whole Foods leverage their stores to become the new fulfillment centers for growing e-commerce,” he says. “But we may also see more grocers move to become like Amazon, using pick to light systems to better fulfill their orders.”


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Dubai - Mubasher: Al Safwa Mubasher has launched its latest online trading platform in the Middle East, expected to cause a “technical leap in the Middle East’s trading world”.
The new platform, which is a more comprehensive and responsive version of Mubasher Trade Plus, will provide investors with information, analysis, and trading tools, according to a press release.
The platform launch comes in line with the company’s efforts to carry on a sustainable development strategy for its services and products.
Al Safwa’s strategy aims at allowing its clients to evaluate, analyse, and implement local and global markets.
Ehab Rashad, CEO of Al Safwa Mubasher, said: “We also strive to provide our clients with the best technology with fundamental differences in the trading experience to be distinguished from our competitors in different markets in all trading details, starting from placing orders to trading, passing by follow-up lists, and ending with account details.”
“The new platform is the best so far. We have released a free trial version for investors from outside the company to test the new trading experience to the market in general and the application is completely free to all existing and future Al Safwa clients as we are keen to provide them with our latest services and products instantly,” Rashad added.


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- The AUD/USD pair rallied today as traders reacted to the strong inflation data from Australia.
- The headline CPI rose by 1.6% in the third quarter after falling by 1.9% in Q3.
- The biggest contributor to rising prices was furnishings and home products.
The Australian dollar (AUD/USD) is up by 0.10% as traders react to the relatively strong Australian inflation data. It is trading at 0.7136, which is in the same range it has been recently.
Australia returns to inflation
This year, Australia suffered its first recession in more than three decades because of the coronavirus pandemic. The disease has infected more than 27,000 people and killed close to 1,000, which is an impressive achievement. In recent weeks, the country has managed to control the second wave of the virus in Melbourne and Victoria.
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And now, the country’s consumer inflation has started to bounce back. According to the Australia’s Bureau of Statistics, consumer prices rose by 1.6% in the second quarter. That was a bit higher than the median estimate of 1.5% by a panel of economists polled by Reuters. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the prices rose by 0.7% after falling by 0.3% in the second quarter.
Notably, the trimmed mean rose by an annualised rate of 1.2% while the weighted mean rose by 1.3%. The weighted mean is derived from the price changes of all consumer price index components while the trimmed mean is calculated using a “weighted average of percentage change from the middle 70% of the distribution.”
According to the bureau, the biggest contributor to higher prices in Australia was furnishings and household products, transport, and education, whose prices rose by 12%, 3.4%, and 2.1%. Notably, child care rose by 9% after the end of free child care in July. On the other hand, the biggest laggards were communications, health, and food and non-alcoholic beverages.
By region, consumer prices rose the most in Canberra and Brisbane, where they rose by 2.3%. The regions with the lowest inflation were Melbourne, Adelaide, and Hobart.
Australia has three main things in its favour. First, the Chinese and East Asian economy has bounced back. This is an important fact because of the volume of trade the country does with the region. Second, the country has almost won its battle against the Covid-19 pandemic. In recent days, it has reported less than 30 cases every day. Finally, commodity prices have risen, with copper and iron ore reaching multi-year highs.
AUD/USD technical outlook
On the daily chart, we see that the AUD/USD price has been moving sideways in recent days. The price is slightly above the September low and below this year’s high of 0.7420. It is also along the 25-day and 15-day exponential moving averages. It is also between the pivot point and the first support. Therefore, for today, I expect that the pair will remain in this range but in the longer-term, the bias remains to the upside. Get started in trading with our free forex courses.


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In the first edition of CRYPTO TREND we introduced Crypto Currency (CC) and answered a number of questions about this new market place. There is a lot of news in this market every day. Here are some highlights that give us a glimpse of how new and exciting this market place is:
The world’s largest futures exchange to create futures contracts for Bitcoin
Terry Duffy, president of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), said, “I think you’ll see us in the second week of December. [bitcoin futures] Deal out for list. Today you can’t make short bitcoins, so there’s only one way it can go. You either buy it or sell it to someone else. So you create a two-way market, I think it’s always more efficient. “
CME wants to bring Bitcoin futures to market by the end of the year with regular reviews pending. If successful, it will provide investors with an effective way to go “long” or “short” in Bitcoin. Some sellers of exchange-traded funds have also filed for Bitcoin ETF’s Bitcoin Futures.
These developments may allow people to invest in cryptocurrency space without CC having full ownership or using the services of CC Exchange. Bitcoin Futures can make digital assets more efficient by allowing users and intermediaries to hedge their foreign exchange risk. It wants to accept bitcoin payments but is wary of its volatile value which could increase the acceptance of cryptocurrencies by merchants. Institutional investors are also used in regulated futures trading, which is not plagued by money laundering concerns.
The move by CME also implies that Bitcoin has become too big to ignore, as the exchange has denied crypto futures in the recent past. Bitcoin is all about brokerage and trading firms, which have suffered in a growing but unusually peaceful market. If the futures of an exchange are closed, it is almost impossible for another exchange like CME to catch it, as scale and liquidity are important in the derivatives markets.
“You can’t ignore the fact that it’s becoming a story that won’t go any further,” Duffy said in an interview with CNBC. He said there are “mainstream companies” that want access to Bitcoin and there is “huge paint-up demand” from clients, he said. Duffy also thinks that institutional traders can make Bitcoin less volatile.
Japanese villages to use cryptocurrency to raise capital for municipal revival
The village municipality of Nishiakakura in Japan is researching the idea of having an initial currency proposal (ICO) to raise capital for revival. This is a very fancy method, and they can seek help from the national government or seek private investment. Several ICOs have serious problems and many investors are skeptical that any new tokens will be worth it especially if the ICO proves to be another joke or scam. Bitcoin was certainly no joke.
Primary Currency Supply – (ICO)
We didn’t mention ICO in the first version of Crypto Trend, so let’s mention it now. Unlike the initial public offering (IPO), where an organization has an actual product or service for sale and you want to buy shares in their company, the ICO can hold anyone who wants to start a new blockchain project with the intention of creating a new one in their chain. Token. ICOs are unregulated and there have been several total shams. A legitimate ICO can raise a lot of cash to fund new blockchain projects and networks. It is very common for ICOs to generate a high token price near the beginning and then soon sink into reality. Because if you know the technology and get some money, it is relatively easy to have an ICO, there are many and today we have about 800 tokens in the game. All of these tokens have a name, they are all cryptocurrencies, and they are dubbed Alt-coins except for very well known tokens like Bitcoin, Etherium and Litcoin. At the moment crypto trends do not recommend participating in any ICO, as the risks are extremely high.
As we said in Issue 1, this market is now “Wild West”, and we recommend caution. Some investors and early adopters have made huge gains in this market place; However, there are many people who have lost a lot or lost everything. Governments are considering the rules, because they want to know about every transaction to pay all these taxes. They all have huge debts and are stuck for cash.
So far, many government and conventional banks have avoided financial problems and issues in the cryptocurrency market, and blockchain technology has the potential to solve many more problems.
A great feature of Bitcoin is that the promoters chose a limited number of currencies that could ever be generated – 21 million – thus ensuring that these cryptocurrencies would never swell. Governments print as much money (fiat currency) as they can and spread their currency towards death.
Future articles will remove specific recommendations, but make no mistake, initially investing in this sector will only be for your maximum estimated capital, the money you can lose.
CRYPTO TREND will be your guide when you are ready to invest in this market.


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Mobile World Congress is the go to event for all things mobile. While it has a huge focus on enterprise and business to business tech, it is still the go to place for consumer releases from all the big brands, excluding Apple which does not participa...
The BBC has finalized the design of the micro:bit, the tiny computer it will give to 1 million British schoolchildren later this year to help them learn about computing.
The European Union faces a huge shortfall of qualified IT staff in Europe by 2020, prompting EU countries to redouble efforts to offer technology training.
A fraudulent website that cloned the BBC has gone offline after it received a surge of traffic for running a bogus story concerning the violence at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
The former Director General of the World Trade Organization is to head up a new group looking at the future use of TV broadcast spectrum across the European Union.
"A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all," Edward Snowden warned Wednesday in a message broadcast to U.K. television viewers.
Clumsy iPhone users break a new iPhone in the first 10 weeks, and even earlier for the latest models that can last less than six weeks.
Apple's iTunes Store now has more than one billion podcast subscriptions, the company has announced.
Has Apple ever refused to repair your iPhone because it was water damaged? If you made a warranty claim and were turned down by Apple before December 2009 you may be able to claim compensation.
As we wrote last week, Apple's rights to the iPhone trademark in Brazil was hanging in the balance, in the latest twist, Brazilian regulators have ruled the company doesn't have the exclusive rights to the name in the country.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Note 3 could be the first smartphones to market with flexible displays.
Samsung has offered to disable some of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 features in order to overturn a ban on sales of the device in Australia.
A report issued last week that claimed users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer have lower IQs than those who run rival browsers was a hoax.
The BBC is expanding its popular iPlayer digital content service, launching a subscription iPad application for 11 European countries, the broadcaster said on Thursday.
Several news services are reporting that the son of Eugene Kaspersky, founder of the Moscow-based security firm Kaspersky Labs, has been kidnapped for ransom in Russia.
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Surge of people shopping at grocery stores for coronavirus essentials
If you've gone to a big-box store or grocery store and seen empty shelves where toilet paper and hand sanitizer used to be, you're not alone.
Metro grocery stores are seeing a surge of shoppers stocking up on things they think they'll need should they have to remain at home for weeks at a time.
Friday felt like the day before Thanksgiving at an Edmond Crest store, with shoppers piling on paper goods, food and other items to stock. Lines were long all day. Toilet paper was in nearly every basket.
"We went to the big box stores and all there was was empty shelves,” one man said.
Crews frantically restocked shelves, trying to keep up with demand.
One customer was wearing a mask to protect himself.
“We're stocking up on canned goods, not tissue. Canned goods. Stuff that helps,” Corey Cornish said.


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A small server-side For Honor update has been deployed for the PC version.
For Honor developer Ubisoft Montreal rolled out an update for the game on PC designed to fix some AntiCheat-related problems.
This server-side update does not require a download, and it makes two changes. First, it fixes the incompatibility issue some players with Nvidia mobile GPUs faced that prevented them from running the game in exclusive full screen mode.
The update also improves detection for key scripts, particularly autoblock cheats. In simple terms, autoblock cheats allow your character to automatically block incoming attacks without any effort from you.
While it’ll take time to evaluate how successful this update this, the Nvidia mobile GPU problem does not appear to have been fixed for everyone, according to a number of reports on Reddit.
We’re expecting another PC update sometime this week, hopefully that will bring a fix for the mobile GPU problem.


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As global temperatures and weather patterns change, a researcher from Michigan State University in East Lansing is working to protect Michigan’s wine grape crops. The state’s wine industry generates more than 27,000 jobs and $2 billion of economic activity annually, according to the Michigan Craft Beverage Council.
Wine grapes occupy more than 3,000 acres of Michigan farmland with nearly 150 commercial wineries producing 3 million gallons each year. Factors that can limit the success of the grapes include cool temperatures that create a shorter growing season, wet weather that creates conditions for diseases, and freezing temperatures and spring frost that can damage vines.
Growers are using equipment and techniques to improve fruit quality and manage disease.
“My research is very applied, so I’m in the field learning about the problems growers are dealing with,” says Paolo Sabbatini, associate professor in the department of horticulture. “These challenges are constantly evolving, but we have a great industry with a young generation of growers who are deeply invested in research and eager to collaborate with MSU.”
One of the biggest issues facing growers is vine balance, in which vine shoot growth provides enough leaf area to properly mature fruit. Vineyards in other parts of the world tend to be naturally in balance due to an ideal climate.
Too many leaves on the vine prevents sunlight from reaching the grape clusters, lessening fruit quality. It also can prevent fungicides and pesticides from being applied correctly. Getting rid of too many leaves, however, can result in sunburned fruit and delayed ripening.
“Timing is critical when it comes to leaf removal,” Sabbatini says. “In Michigan, more leaves benefit the plants by providing winter reserves once the leaves are dropped in the fall. But we have seen positive results from early removal to give fruit more sunlight and decrease disease likelihood, particularly in closely clustered varieties. It’s a delicate balance.”
Leaf removal also can be difficult and expensive. Doing it by hand has been best because leaf remover machines can damage fruit. A new tool that uses compressed air to remove leaves as opposed to a cutting tool, however, is gaining traction for its efficiency and ability to enhance the development of plant compounds necessary for fruit quality as compared to manual removal.
Sabbatini and researchers from the U.S. and Europe examined the timing and method of leaf removal in a cool-climate Pinot Grigio, a tightly clustered grape variety, in an October 2019 study published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. They found that mechanized and manual techniques reduced gray mold, but only manual treatments lowered loss from a condition called sour rot. Researchers used pre- and post-bloom timings and found that only pre-bloom leaf removal improved fruit quality.
The results also indicate the need for reduced compactness of grape clusters to fight disease development, says Sabbatini.
“Both of these leaf removal methods are effective when applied pre-bloom,” he says. “If vines are managed properly, it’s a big step toward a productive growing season.”
The Michigan Craft Beverage Council matched funds from Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) to support Sabbatini’s work.


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RIM unveils new Blackberry 10 smartphone
- Staff Dayton Business Journal
The future of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion was revealed Tuesday morning as RIM’s CEO Thorsten Heins unveiled the prototype of the new BlackBerry 10 smartphone at the company’s annual developer and partners conference in Orlando.
The company handed out prototype phones to developers so that they can begin making apps for it. The prototype resembled current phones that operate on Apple Inc.’s operating system and Google Inc.’s Android system. It lacks the signature BlackBerry keyboard.
RIM’s financial performance in the past year has suffered because of market share lost to Apple and Android products.
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Discover more from After School by Casey Lewis
Treat Culture and Celebrity Whispers
Rihanna and her pregnancy bump star in a new Louis Vuitton campaign; meet the hot boys of the steamy Red, White & Royal Blue movie; and Jordan Peele and Selena Gomez are teaming up for Coyotes adaptation.
ALEX COOPER, MATT KAPLAN FORM MEDIA COMPANY TARGETING GEN Z AUDIENCES, variety
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MILLENNIAL AND GEN Z ECONOMIC MALAISE IS CREATING A ‘TREAT CULTURE’ AS THEY TURN TO TINY PURCHASES FOR A DOSE OF DAILY ESCAPISM, fortune
Millennials and Gen Zers are doing the “non-fun adult things like working without the added benefits of being able to afford a house, much less a comfortable life or even a world that isn’t subject to the chaos of climate change, political extremism, and a pandemic.” Their response: Buy the treat, and lose the pretense that it’s a bad thing.
One last thought:


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Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:TSLA) continues to prove its critics wrong, one milestone after another. Last year, the company delivered its all-electric Model S ahead of schedule, won Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year, ramped up production, and launched a U.S. Supercharger Network. Tesla rode this momentum into 2013, and now expects to post its first profit when the company reports earnings on May 8. Tesla stock is up more than 50% year to date because of all the upbeat news. However, with Tesla's stock trading around $50 a share, some investors worry that it's too late to get in on the action.
Here are three reasons why Tesla stock should move higher from here.
1. Tesla is a disruptive force in the auto industry
Tesla Motors is a disruptive innovator that's bent on forever changing not only the way we drive, but also the way we buy cars. Unlike traditional car manufacturers, such as Ford or General Motors, Tesla doesn't sell its cars through franchised dealerships. Instead, the company's retail strategy relies on mall stores located in high foot-traffic areas.
Not surprisingly, pushing for change in an industry that's operated the same way for more than 100 years hasn't been easy for Tesla. Auto-dealer groups in states such as New York and Massachusetts brought lawsuits against Tesla, saying that it violated state franchise laws. Tesla fought back, and won.
As it stands, Tesla has won the right to operate its manufacturer-owned stores in more than eight U.S. states. Tesla stock should get a meaningful boost if the company can win over the state of Texas in the coming months.
2. The stock's current valuation is deceiving
There's no shortage of investors betting against the company. In fact, as of this writing, Tesla stock has a short interest of more than 42%. For comparison, less than 2% of Ford's stock is currently sold short. Meanwhile, even GM's short float of 12% looks good next to Tesla stock. Nevertheless, this could end up working to Tesla's advantage in the case of a short squeeze.
Additionally, many would-be Tesla investors argue that the stock is overvalued compared to other automakers, such as Ford or General Motors. This isn't without merit if you're simply looking at the numbers. However, as an upstart growth stock, I'd be worried if Tesla's valuation were comparable to these traditional auto companies.
It's a mistake to value Tesla using the short-term benchmarks reserved for established auto companies. Conversely, investors who are willing to take a long-term approach to valuing Tesla stock will have the most to gain when the naysayers buy in down the road -- particularly, if Musk delivers on his promise of making Tesla the greatest automaker of the 21st century.
The lesson here is: Don't judge a stock by its valuation alone. Finding winning investments is about more than numbers. It is equally important to understand the business behind those numbers. In Tesla's case, I think it is one of the most misunderstood stocks on the Nasdaq. However, this will change in time as the company continues to exceed expectations, and that's when longtime shareholders will be rewarded.
3. Visionary leadership at its best
Thanks to Apple's Steve Jobs, the world has seen what visionary leadership can do for a company. Tesla's CEO Elon Musk is no exception. Musk has a proven track record of success, including co-founding PayPal, which, in 2002, was purchased by eBay for a cool $1.5 billion. More recently, Musk made history when his company SpaceX launched the first commercial spacecraft to reach the International Space Station. Not to mention, SpaceX locked down a $1.6 billion contract with NASA, in the process.
While transforming U.S. space travel is certainly remarkable, what Musk has achieved with Tesla is equally impressive. With Musk at the helm, Tesla has overcome insurmountable odds as a start-up electric car company trying to succeed in an industry where economies of scale favor the traditional automakers. If history is any indication, Musk knows how to build and run a successful business.
It isn't everyday that you find CEOs, such as Jobs or Musk, with the vision to revolutionize entire industries. For this reason, I plan to own Tesla stock well into the future, and certainly for as long as Musk remains at the top. Patient investors should buy Tesla stock while they still can, as I suspect this is just the beginning of a very promising growth story.
Fool contributor Tamara Rutter owns shares of Apple and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Ford, and Tesla Motors . Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Don't you just love how cars are born out of competition? The Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is a great example of that. The newest version of the Honda hot hatch was created to take back its crown from the Renault Megane RS Trophy-R, which beat the Honda as the fastest FWD production car at the Nurburgring.
Shedding off 20.9 kilograms of weight from its standard version, this Phoenix Yellow Civic Type R has already taken the crown from the Megane RS at the Suzuka circuit in Japan (video at the bottom of this article).
Gallery: 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition
But can it beat the Megane RS at the 'Ring? Honda hasn't released an official lap time at the Nurburgring. The video embedded atop this story, however, stands as a preview of what the special Civic Type R can do at the hands of the L'argus's test driver – and it looks promising.
We couldn't help but notice how skillful the driver is in the video. The Civic Type R is meant to handle excellently, but the test driver here made that seem easy. His use of lift-off oversteer was noteworthy, as well as his exit speeds on corners.
With this type of driver at the helm and the promise that the Civic Type R Limited Edition carries, we won't be surprised if it will take back the crown from the Megane RS.
Unfortunately, the hot lap above isn't timed (or wasn't disclosed on the video anyway) so we won't know if it actually did beat the French hot hatch on this unofficial run. With that being said, all we need to do now is wait for Honda's official lap.


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SILLY SYRUP, Vermont – (Satire News) – In a move that surprised many hard core males, the Syrup State has just voted to outlaw truck testicles, or truck nuts, as they are called in the southern states.
The truck gonads are attached underneath the truck's rear bumper, and they dangle pretty much like human balls do.
Senator Nanette Twaddle, (R-Vermont), who led the move to ban the truck scrotum, stated that the realistic balls first became very popular in Fort Worth, Texas. They were first sold at Bubba & Bubba’s Auto Supply Store.
In the beginning, the truck nuts were merely sold as a novelty item, but after the Bubbas started selling an average of 93 a day, they started marketing them as Vehicular Vanity Accessory Nuts.
The dangling scrotum became a symbol of manhood and extreme masculinity for the driver.
They are even sold in Mexico under the name of Las Bolas Chingonas.
Within weeks, the Bubbas were shipping their truck nuts to every state in the union, as well as to Mexico, Central America, and Switzerland.
Everyone loved the novelty scrotum, but, for some reason, men and women in Vermont did not embrace the truck testes, like folks in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama did.
Bubba Flutter and Bubba Buckbox, the owners, simply figured that the men in Vermont possibly weren’t into manhood as much as the males in the other 49 states.
The Vermont senate outlawed the dangling scrotum by an overwhelming vote of 93-7.


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A new LED light that is 100 times smaller than those currently on the market has been created. Researchers have put their minds together and succeeded in making a smaller, more flexible, and lower temperature emitting LED light bulb.
U.S. congress passed a new law setting higher efficiency standards for alllight bulbs. It has been proven incandescent light bulbs generate mostly heat instead of light, which is the reason LED lights are in demand.Companies like General Electric are announcing they will be completely replacing some of their incandescent products with LED light bulbs.
The LED light bulb greatly improves efficiency, lasting up to 25,000 hours. Researchers have approximated that with average use, an LED light bulbcould last up to 17 years. At their current cost of between $40 and $50, that is less than a penny a day for a working and efficient light bulb. But with the research that people like Jizhou Song, a professor at the University of Miami, are doing, prices of these LED will most likely become even lower.


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The Athlone region is to feature in Fáilte Ireland’s first domestic consumer marketing campaign for the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand, which launched this week.
The multi-media brand awareness campaign, worth €1m, will revolve around the concept ‘Yours to Uncover’. Over the coming weeks, audiences across Ireland will see the new campaign which focuses on themes of discovery and exploration, and encourages visitors to uncover their unique experience of the natural beauty and treasures of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.
Athlone and Glasson will feature in the TV ad, which will run for five weeks from next Monday, July 9, across 40 channels, including TV3, Channel 4, Sky and RTÉ News – reaching millions of viewers across the country. It will also feature in the breaks for high rating programmes such as The Sunday Game, Coronation Street and RTÉ News. The ad can be viewed across YouTube, Sky on Demand and Videology, which will extend the audience reach even further.
You can view the TV ad here:
As part of the campaign launch, the Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 will broadcast live from some key locations in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands every day next week, including Athlone on Wednesday, July 11. Ray will interview local industry and participate in activities and experiences, so that he can bring the brand and area to life throughout the show.
Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands is the newest regional experience brand for Ireland and was unveiled in April. The brand aims to bring to life the Midland’s rich natural assets including its many lakes, walkways and blueways.
Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands will cover the ‘heart’ of the country, from Leitrim down to East Clare and extending through Longford, Roscommon, East Galway, as well as parts of Westmeath, Cavan, North Tipperary and Offaly. It will complement Fáilte Ireland’s other key brands - the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin.


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Amazon's Prime Day Touches $6.4 Billion, Highest Single-Day E-Commerce Sales Figure in 2023
The first day of Amazon's annual Prime Day event shattered records as U.S. consumers spent a staggering $6.4 billion, marking the highest single-day e-commerce sales figure in 2023. This two-day sales extravaganza not only presents Amazon with an opportunity to attract new customers but also strengthens its relationship with existing ones. The event's success can be attributed to various factors, including increased spending in categories like appliances, toys, apparel, and electronics, per TechCrunch. Moreover, the adoption of flexible payment options like Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and the growing preference for smartphone shopping are notable trends observed during this year's Prime Day.
Sales growth in key categories
According to Adobe Analytics Data, appliance sales experienced a substantial 37% surge compared to average daily sales in June 2023. This growth demonstrates consumers' enthusiasm for purchasing household appliances at discounted prices during Prime Day. Additionally, sales of toys and apparel rose by 27% and 26% respectively, indicating a strong demand for these products. Electronics, a perennial favorite during Prime Day, witnessed a 12% increase in sales, further contributing to the record-breaking figures.
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and flexible spending habits
During Prime Day, the impact of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services is becoming more noticeable. BNPL orders have accounted for 6.4% of online orders, generating a remarkable revenue of $461 million on the first day alone. This represents a significant 19.5% increase compared to the previous year's Prime Day. Notably, consumers are enthusiastically adopting flexible payment options, especially in popular categories like apparel, furniture/home, and electronics. These statistics indicate that shoppers are actively seeking ways to improve their spending management and make the most of the discounts available during the event.
Shift to mobile shopping
Another noteworthy trend is the growing comfort and confidence of consumers when shopping on smaller screens. Smartphones played a significant role in driving sales, accounting for 43.7% of purchases during Prime Day (compared to 42.7% in 2022). In the U.S., mobile payment has seen a 24% growth over the last three years and attracting an extra 15.5 million users, per SupplyGem. Increased mobile accessibility and security have driven this growth, hence more shoppers are contributing to smaller screen purchases.
Amazon's Prime Day is renowned for offering enticing discounts across various product categories. This year, electronics received the most substantial discount of 16%, followed by apparel at 13% and toys at 15%. Computers, sporting goods, and furniture were also discounted at 10%, 9%, and 7% respectively. These attractive discounts incentivized consumers to make purchases and contributed to the overall success of Prime Day.
Impact on third-party sellers and competitors
Amazon's Prime Day not only benefits the e-commerce giant but also boosts online sales for third-party sellers and other retailers. Data shows that early Prime Day sales have already increased online spending by approximately 6%, lifting the revenue of these sellers. Retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kohl's, and Best Buy have been running their own competing sales events, aiming to attract customers with attractive discounts and promotions, per CNBC.
Resilient consumer spending
The impressive Prime Day sales figures indicate that consumer spending may be more resilient than anticipated, as per Jungle Scout data. Despite concerns surrounding economic uncertainty and inflation, shoppers continue to display robust purchasing power. In the second quarter, 28% of consumers reported an increase in spending, compared to 23% in the previous quarter. Total U.S. online sales will grow 9.5% year over year to $13.1 billion during the two-day event, per Adobe's predictions. This positive sentiment is driven by a combination of pent-up demand following the COVID-19 pandemic and improved financial stability among certain segments of the population.
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Food Safety Focus (31st Issue, February 2009) – Incident in Focus
Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in the United States Associated with Peanut Butter
Reported by Dr. Ken CHONG, Scientific Officer,
Risk Assessment Section, Centre for Food Safety
On 8 January 2009 , the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States (US) reported an ongoing multistate outbreak of human infections due to Salmonella serotype Typhimurium. To date, more than 600 persons infected with the outbreak strain and infection may have contributed to nine deaths in patients (eight aged 59 years old or more; one elderly female whose age was not reported). Half of the cases have occurred in people who are less than 16 years old. Among reported onset dates, illnesses first started from 1 September 2008 .
Tracing the Source in the US
At the beginning, CDC staff noted a group of cases in different states in the US caused by Salmonella Typhimurium with same genetic fingerprint. Epidemiological analyses including interviewing the patients were then initiated to trace the source of outbreak. The interviews for patients and control groups showed that patients were more likely to have eaten peanut butter. The bacterium was subsequently identified from containers of peanut butter. These results have led CDC and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to confirm the sources of the outbreak were peanut butter and peanut paste produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely , Georgia processing plant. The PCA distributed potentially contaminated products to more than 300 consignee firms for use as ingredients in hundreds of different products. On 9 January, PCA voluntarily stopped production at the concerned plant. Inspection at the plant indicated that the plant failed to comply with good manufacturing practices (GMP) required by FDA; in addition, other Salmonella strains were found in the plant but the strains have not been connected with any illnesses. It was also revealed that products with Salmonella identified in the PCA internal testing during 2007 to 2008 had been released into the marketplace.
Meanwhile, recalls on products containing peanut butter and other peanut materials from the plant have been announced on the FDA website . More than 2 200 products including pet food have been recalled until now. Subsequent to finding irregularities in the inspection, PCA has expanded the recall to include all peanut products produced on or after 1 January, 2007 in the concerned plant.
Characteristics of Salmonellae
Salmonellae are bacteria found in the intestinal tract of man and animals. More than 2 500 serotypes of salmonellae have been identified and Salmonella serotype Typhimurium is common in the US . Locally, Salmonella Typhimurium, following Salmonella Enteritidis, is the second most commonly isolated serotype. Symptoms of Salmonella infection include nausea, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting; deaths are uncommon, except in the elderly, the infants, the debilitated and those with impaired immune systems.
Food may be contaminated by salmonellae in animal faeces and cross-contamination may occur during further processing and preparation. Salmonellae may survive in the environment and equipment of food-processing facilities.
In general, peanut butter does not support the growth of bacteria because it has very little water. Nevertheless, salmonellae can survive well in peanut butter after it is contaminated. In addition, some of the Salmonella serotypes need a very low dose to cause disease when ingested with fatty food such as ice-cream and chocolate, which protect the bacteria from the lethal effect of the acid in stomach.
Actions in Response to the Incident
To closely monitor the incident, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has been in close contact with the US authorities since the start of the incident. On 29 January, FDA informed CFS that certain batches of the Health Valley brand "Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars" suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella had been exported to Hong Kong . The CFS has taken immediate follow-up action to contact the local importer and requested them to withdraw the affected product from the market. The CFS made a public announcement on the same day. The public was advised to dispose of them and thoroughly wash their hands afterwards.
Illustration: Several batches of the below peanut granola bars were recalled in Hong Kong
Starting from 11 January, more than 36 rapid alerts have been issued to traders regarding the recalled products in the US to remind them to stop selling of the affected products, if available.
The CFS also checked local availability of the affected products and took samples of peanut butter and related products for testing of Salmonella. As of 17 February, the CFS has collected 30 samples of peanut butter and their related products for testing of Salmonella and all results are satisfactory.
Key Points to Note:
- Food may be contaminated by salmonellae in animal faeces and cross-contamination may occur during further processing and preparation.
- All age groups are susceptible to Salmonella infection, but the elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
- Although salmonellae do not grow in peanut butter, it can survive well after peanut butter is contaminated.
Advice to Consumers
- Do not eat products that have been recalled. Discard them and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
- Do not consume a product if there is doubt.
- Seek help from doctors if you suspect that you may have become ill from eating peanut products.
Advice to Trade
- Ensure that affected products are not served and confirm with your suppliers the source of their peanut product ingredients.


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Sale Organizer Tracy Panase explains, "This is such a wide assortment -- not only of stuff, but of brands, too -- and it's all under one roof. Everything from infants to 'tweens' and teens and we also have maternity wear."
The 400 consigners price most of the items between and 50% and 90% off regular retail, and prices on most items that are left will be slashed another 50% on Saturday.
On the toddler boys rack, I found a Phillies outfit for $5, a Janie and Jack shorts set for $6 and short-alls and a polo from Hartstring for $5.
In the huge baby gear area, I found a Simplicity bassinet for $25 and for $40, you can buy a Graco Pack'n'Play with a changing table attachment.
There are hundreds of pairs of shoes for sale, many of them clearly never worn, including Nike basketball shoes for $10.50 and Crocs flip-flops for $2.
Volunteers who work during the setup and sale were able to begin shopping yesterday. Amy Panesar and Jennifer Commale of Phoenixville, Pa., each worked 12 hours for the privilege of being among the first to shop. They raved about the sale and the savings.
Commale said, "I'll pull things out and save them all year. (My son's) only two and it's just great to save a lot of money."
Panesar added, "Those things that the kids grow out of, they only use them for 6 months, you can buy things at just amazing prices."
The sale runs from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2011, and from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. For all the details, click here..


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The lives of Asana founders Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, from the early days of Facebook to building a billion-dollar startup
Moskovitz was a cofounder of Facebook, while Rosenstein created the "like" button. Now, 12 years after they left Facebook, Asana is going public.
Asana just said it's doing a direct listing — here's how they work and why more companies are thinking outside the box when it comes to going public
Companies with a lot of money and brand recognition can save money on bank fees via a direct listing.
Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz is reportedly looking at a direct listing for his $1.5 billion startup Asana to go public next year
The productivity software startup Asana is reportedly looking to take the same route as Spotify and Slack when it goes public next year.
Cofounder Chris Hughes thinks Facebook should be broken up. Founding President Sean Parker worries what the platform is doing to kids' brains.
Everything you need to know about React, a project started at Facebook that now helps Twitter, Pinterest, and Asana keep their apps looking good and working great
React was originally a project built at Facebook to manage its ads. Now it's used by Pinterest, Twitter, Asana, Uber, and more. Here's how it started.
11 enterprise rock stars that have quietly been responsible for some of the most successful cloud services in the world
These 11 people aren't CEOs or founders — but they're vital to their company's success nonetheless.
Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz explains how his $1.5 billion startup Asana hit a $100 million milestone
The $1.5 billion startup Asana announced that it has crossed $100 million in annual recurring revenue. CEO Dustin Moskovitz explains how Asana did it.
Facebook co-founder and Asana CEO Dustin Moskovitz seems to be glad he's not involved in the social networking business anymore
In an interview on Wednesday, Moskovitz seemed to be glad he's no longer working for the social networking behemoth he helped create.
Ten years after Moskovitz left Facebook, his startup Asana has hit a major milestone: unicorn status.
Asana Business is a new service from Asana, the $900 million startup started by Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz.
Slack's latest product update proves that vendor lock-in is over, but you may never want to leave Slack again
Here's how to use actions, a new feature on Slack that means doing all of your business in a single window.
Asana's VoiceOver update will be available when Apple releases iOS 11 on September 19.
A restauranteur and a dairy farmer are among Slack's newest customers.


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The Demon’s Souls remake launch trailer has just been dropped
Demon’s Souls has released it’s launch trailer, which you can watch here.
The Demon’s Souls Remake was released on November 12th in the US and Japan, and will be released everywhere else on November 19th. Playstation has released the launch trailer for the game. The trailer shows off the new and improved graphics. It shows off the Nexus, the Tower Knight, The Maiden in Black and more.
The trailer does a good job of showing familiar locations and enemies in all their remastered glory.
The Demon’s Souls remake is currently out now for the PS5 as an exclusive.


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P&G to Hike Brand Prices
Procter & Gamble plans to raise prices on products across its broad consumer brand portfolio in September or October, according to a company spokesperson.
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Parisian Linux distributor MandrakeSoft released its third fiscal quarter
revenue report on Wednesday, touting what it calls the "all-time highest"
revenues over any previous quarter.The report references "consolidated revenue" which, according to MandrakeSoft
CEO Jacques Le Marois, just means "revenue," but has "consolidated" attached to
it because the report concerns not just the company but all the
subsidiaries -- for example, the U.S. MandrakeSoft Inc. located in Altadena,
MandrakeSoft expects the third quarter increases to cause a "significant
decrease" in operating losses. The company says it will release further third
quarter information in an upcoming announcement.
After a poor showing in the second quarter, with consolidated revenue down to
.97 million EUR, income shot up over the last several months, mostly because of OEM
deals, and MandrakeClub subscriptions, plus sales from the new
MandrakeStore -- revenue streams that MandrakeSoft says account for 35% of total third quarter income.
In addition to the recently announced deal with
Microtel, in which the Mandrake-Linux distribution is preloaded on Walmart.com
systems, MandrakeSoft has an OEM deal with HP/Compaq, in which Mandrake Linux is
a option on some of the desktop lines such as Vectra
and the e-PC.
The MandrakeStore sells a full line
of retail Mandrake products and third-party software, as well as OEM products
and support packages.


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US home sales increased more than expected in October as hurricane-related disruptions dissipated, but a chronic shortage of houses which is pushing prices beyond the reach of some first-time buyers remains an obstacle.
The National Association of Realtors said on Tuesday that existing home sales rose 2.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.48 million units last month. September’s sales pace was revised down to 5.37 million units from the previously reported 5.39 million units.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast home sales rising 0.7 percent to a 5.42 million-unit rate in October. The NAR said sales in Houston and Jacksonville, regions which bore the brunt of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, had rebounded. Sales in South Florida, however, remained weak last month.
The Realtors group said it expected activity in the areas affected by the storms to fully recover by the end of the year. However, it cautioned that a proposed US…


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As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) takes off on Jan.1, 2021, the Federal Government has urged businesses, especially those in manufacturing, to take advantage of opportunities therein to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo.
The Minister said Nigeria could not afford to be left out of the emerging African economic block, stressing that AfCFTA would form a 3.4 trillion dollars economic bloc, which Nigeria must play a leading role.
AfCFTA, which is the world’s largest free trade area in terms of 54 participating countries, will signal the beginning of the implementation of a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments across Africa.
According to the Minister, the journey started on July 7, 2019 when Nigeria became the 53rd African country to sign the AfCFTA treaty.
“Before then, it has always been the dream of Nigeria and Africa’s founding fathers to unite the continent in one, shared prosperity.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement will form a 3.4 trillion dollars economic bloc, which Nigeria cannot afford to be left out.
“We have worked tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria not only partake as a signatory in name, but become a major trade and economic power house, even more than we have been within the ECOWAS region.”
Also speaking on measures taken by government towards the effective implementation of AfCFTA, the Secretary, National Action Committee on AfCFTA, Francis Anatogu expressed Nigeria’s readiness for the commencement of AfCFTA.
Anatogu said it was effectively coordinating with all critical stakeholders to ensure a smooth playing field for Nigerian traders and business men to explore the vast markets that would be opened up come 2021.
“We are set to commence a major communication campaign and have tagged January 2021 as AfCFTA Awareness and Sensitisation month.
“This will take place across the six geopolitical zones, and would involve various stakeholder groups in public, private and civil society sectors, as well as other critical traditional institutions,” he said.
Established in May 30, 2018, the agreement has been signed by 54 AU member countries and ratified by 31 AU member countries, including Nigeria in July 2019 and November 2020 respectively.
AfCFTA is expected to help expand Nigeria’s inter-trade portfolio, boost competitiveness and increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP).


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Marathon Digital Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MARA) shares are trading higher by 8.3% at $21.43 Friday morning after Jefferies initiated coverage on the stock with a Buy rating and announced a $51 price target.
Marathon Digital, along with several cryptocurrency-related companies, is otherwise trading sharply lower by 35% on a year-to-date basis. The selling pressure on crypto-related stocks is in sympathy with the sell off in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). The rise in US Treasury yields, including a new 2-year high in the 10-year note set this month, has also pressured growth sectors.
See Also: Why Apple Shares Are Rising Today
Marathon Digital focuses on mining digital assets. The company owns crypto-currency mining machines and a data center to mine digital assets. The company operates in the Digital Currency Blockchain segment and its crypto-currency machines are located in Canada.
Marathon Digital has a 52-week high of $83.45 and a 52-week low of $17.16.